Dead hiker identified

Following the notification of his next of kin, RCMP have
released the identity of the hiker found dead on Monday, March 24: 37-year-old
Zhi Yong Lai of China.

According to the RCMP, Lai was one of six hikers to snowshoe up
the Rubble Creek trail into Garibaldi Provincial Park to camp overnight. He
became separated from the group on the way down. After waiting almost two hours
at the trailhead his party contacted the RCMP. A search was launched
immediately, and at 1 a.m. Monday searchers found Lai’s backpack. The search
continued until 3:30 a.m. before being called off until first light later in
the morning.

With a helicopter joining searchers Monday morning, a ground
crew found Lai’s body just after 10 a.m. near the area where his backpack was
located.

The body has been sent to Vancouver General Hospital for an
autopsy, but early indications suggest he may have succumbed to hypothermia.

The last time Lai was seen alive by a member of his party was
at 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. He was making his way downhill on the opposite
side of Rubble Creek from the trail.

Lai had been working in Vancouver for the past year and was due
to fly back to China to visit family on the day his body was found.